Shoe-tongue retainer.



PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. W. J. ANDREWS. SHOE TONGUE RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG 24 1904 nwtwoa 77:75am .ffiz z w WITN?SE8:

ATT

" UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

WILLIAM J. ANDREWS, OF MURPHYSBORO, ILLINOIS.

SHOE-TONGUE RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,3 13, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed August 24, 1904. Serial No. 221,980.

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Murphysboro, in the county of Jackson and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Shoe-Tongue Retainer, of which the following isafull, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to footwear; and its object is to provide a new and improved retainer for securely holding the tongue of the shoe in proper position on the fly when the shoe is worn to prevent sand, gravel, and the like from passing into the shoe, the retainer also serving as identification means of the wearer.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is asectional side elevation of the improvement as applied. Fig- 2 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spring retaining-plate. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the clips on the tongue, and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a modified form ofretaining-plate.

The flap or tongue A of the shoe is fastened at its lower end in the usual manner to the upper B of the shoe, and on the free portion of the tongue, and preferably at the sides thereof, are riveted or otherwise secured clips C, to which are fastened elastic or non-elastic strings or bands D, adapted to be passed around the wearers ankle to be drawn under spring clamping-tongues E, formed or secured on the retaining-plate F, riveted or otherwise fastened to the upper B at the rear end thereof and near the top edge of the upper, as plainly indicated in Fig. 1.

The retaining-plate F is provided with the name of the wearer of the shoe, so as to identify the wearer in case he meets with injury, and the said name may be engraved on the outer face of the plate, or the name may be arranged on a card placed in position on the ner takes hold of the strings or bands D and passes the same in opposite directions around the ankle to finally draw the free ends of the strings or hands under the clamping-tongues E, so as to securely hold the ends of the? strings or bands in position, thus preventing the tongue A from slipping down on the fly of the upper, and thereby preventing sand,

gravel, and the like from passing through the open slit of the upper into the shoe.

When it is desired to take off the shoe, the wearer first draws the free ends of the strings or hands D from under the clamping-tongues E and then unlaces the shoe in the usual manner preparatory to pulling the shoe off the foot.

The device, very simple and durable in construction, can be readily applied to the shoe without requiring any changes whatever in the form of the ordinary shoe.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A shoe provided with strings each of which is attached at one end to the free side portion of the tongue of the shoe, said strings to be passed around the ankle, and a retaining-plate applied to the shoe for securing the ends of said strings.

2. A shoe provided with clips on the upper portion of the tongue, strings extending from the clips, and a retaining-plate attached to the shoe at the rear thereof and near the top edge of the shank of the shoe, the said plate having means for receiving and retaining the ends of said strings.

3. A shoe provided with a retaining device at the rear of the upper thereof, and strings each of which is attached at one end to the tongue of the shoe, said strings adapted to be passed around the ankle and secured by said retaining device.

4.. A shoe provided with a retaining-plate at the upper rear portion of the shoe-upper,

the said retaining-plate having spring clamping-tongues, clips secured to the tongue of the shoe at the upper side portion thereof, and strings attached to said clips and adapted to be engaged with said spring-tongues.

5. A shoe provided with a retaining device at the rear of the upper thereof, and strings each of which is attached at one end to the tongue of the shoe, said strings adapted to be 1 passed around the ankle and secured by said retaining device, and the latter being provided With oppositely-disposed fiangesat the longitudinal edges thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM J. ANDREWS.

Witnesses:

C. E. WILSON, A. HUFNAGEL. 

